Benjamin Lain Graves

EDUCATION

Washington State University, Pullman, WA 1996 Master of Arts in Jazz Studies – “Bright Size Life-the Music of Pat Metheny”

Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 1993 Bachelor of Arts in Music – “Inside Out,” a recital of original compositions

Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA 1991 – 92, 1993

Guitar/Bass Studies with Peter Bernstein, Paul Bollenback, William Sims, Larry Coryell, Duck Baker, John Stowell, Susan Burkhart, David Frackenpohl, Andy Gurley, Randy Kohrs, James Reed, Bruce Saunders. Master Classes with Steve Vai, Bill Frisell, Larry Carlton, Billy Joel (songwriting), others

Sax Studies with Anthony Braxton, Hal McCusick, Bill Pierce, Ed Blackwell, Hafez Modirzadeh

Harmonica studies with Howard Levy and Pat Bergeson (diatonic with emphasis on chromatic overbending technique), Toots Theilemans and Damien Masterson (chromatic)

EXPERIENCE

Musician, Composer/Arranger (Nashville, San Francisco, NYC): bengraves.com 1990 – ▪ Guitar/mando/dobro/vox for royalty (Prince William & Kate) wth Paul Brandt, Calgary ▪ Guitar, Saxophone, Harmonica, Vocals, for Grammy winner Raul Malo (2/08-present) ▪ Tonight Show, Grand Ole Opry, South By Southwest, Americana Music Awards, Canadian Country Music Awards, Canada AM, War Memorial Auditorium, Calgary Stampede, WGN Chicago, Austin City Limits, Highline Ballroom, Crystal Palace, Fillmore, Ryman Auditorium, Great American Music Hall, Edmonton Folk Festival, etc. ▪ Solo harmonica performance for Mayor Karl Dean & Tennessee State Legislature ('11) ▪ Sax, harmonica, piano, vocals--Lucky One, Raul Malo, 2008, Fantasy Records. Steve Berlin (Los Lobos), producer. Jazz-inflected Latin pop release on prestigious jazz label ▪ Organized, emceed the Sunday Jazz Jam Session, 6/04 – 10/08 at Café Coco, Nashville ▪ Solo jazz singer/songwriter residency at SF lounge, Tonic, every Thursday, 8/99 – 10/03 ▪ Original, self-produced jazz singer/songwriter recordings, Crazy Italians (cut included on 1999 Performing Songwriter sampler CD), and Memphis (top 10 on college airplay charts in 2002), distributed to iTunes, Pandora Radio, Rhapsody, CD Baby, others ▪ Voice-over, instrumental work on jingles for McDonalds, Dodge, Clorox, Bounty, Tag ▪ Guest Lecturer, San Francisco State University, 04/02: “Being an Independent Musician” ▪ Recording Studio Internships: the Plant (Sausalito, CA), ’97, Earwax (SF, CA), ’98

Performances with Percy Heath, Ed Blackwell, Toots Theilemans, Anton Fig, Steve Cropper, Gary Burton, Lyle Lovett, Rickie Lee Jones, Kid Rock, Shelby Lynne, James Taylor, Anthony Braxton, John Stowell, Hal McCusick, Cecil Bridgewater, Royal Hartigan, Matt Rollings, Bruce Saunders, Tab Benoit, Deep Purple, G.E. Smith, Gretchen Wilson, Fuel, Delbert McClinton, the Decemberists, Paul Brandt, Abraham Adzinyah, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Marcia Ball, James Otto, Nanci Griffith, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Jorgenson, Flaco Jimenez, and many others.

Associate Professor of Music, Volunteer State Community College, Gallatin, TN 9/12 – ▪ Chair of Performing Arts (2016 - ), Classroom Instruction of Music Appreciation, History, Guitar, Jazz Ensemble, fundraising, department administration & development

Adjunct Faculty, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 9/07 – 5/08 ▪ Classroom Instruction of Music Appreciation and History, Guitar, Lab Ensembles ▪ Conducted Commercial Music Ensemble classes in Jazz, Motown, rock styles, resulting in end of semester performances. Arrangement for jazz/rock combos with voices

Studio Music Instructor, World Music Nashville, Nashville, TN 10/06 – 5/08 ▪ Studio Instruction in rock, jazz, classical guitar, saxophone, dobro and harmonica ▪ Conducted pop/rock bands, scheduled rehearsals, preparing students for biannual recitals

Music Instructor, Melody Music Studios, Nashville, TN 7/05 – 10/06 ▪ Private instruction of piano, guitar, dobro, saxophone, various genres, in students homes

Music Licensing Associate, SESAC, Nashville, TN 2/04 – 3/05 ▪ Administrative coordinator, customer support for major performers’ rights organization

Adjunct Faculty, Solano Community College, Suisun City, CA 10/01 – 5/03 ▪ Classroom Instruction of Piano, Guitar I and II, Multicultural Music survey, MIDI intro Department and curriculum planning, recruitment, community relations, fundraising

Music Analyst, Savage Beast Technologies (now Pandora Media), Oakland, CA 2/00 – 10/02 ▪ ‘Genome’- based analysis of all types of music for retail marketing (Best Buy, Amazon)

Faculty, Woodside International School, San Francisco, CA 10/00 – 5/02 ▪ Classroom instruction of Music fundamentals and survey at private SF high school

Guitar Instructor, National Guitar Workshop--Los Angeles, Seattle, Nashville, DC 8/99 – 8/06 ▪ Several summers at various campuses; jazz, classical, folk, rock classroom instruction.

Production Assistant, SFJazz, San Francisco, CA 6/99 – 10/00 ▪ Production assistance/artist relations for jazz concert series co-chaired by Joshua Redman

Music Instructor, Menlo-Atherton Conservatory, Menlo Park, CA 10/98 – 5/99 ▪ Classroom instruction of Music fundamentals and survey at private SF high school

Graduate Assistant to the Director of Jazz Studies, WSU, Pullman, WA 10/94 – 5/96 ▪ Conducted Jazz Big Band, Jazz Combo program, taught Jazz History, liaison for dept.

AWARDS ▪ Outstanding Alto Saxophonist, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Moscow, ID 4/95 ▪ Voice Scholarship, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA 8/93 ▪ Woodwind Scholarship, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA 5/91 ▪ Featured vocalist, Berklee College of Music Singers’ Showcase 10/93 ▪ Endorsed by Thomastik-Infeld, D’addario strings, Rico reeds, Seydel Harmonicas